Living in Seattle, we get some of the best wild mushrooms in the country at our markets, often within hours of being foraged. The bounty of morels, chanterelles, porcini, maitake, and dozens of other varieties is astonishing. Sometimes I forget how delicious cultivated button mushrooms can be.

I didn’t have a definite plan when I picked up these gorgeous little eggplants, I just knew they had to come home with me. I ended up rubbing them with spices and roasting, then serving them in a sweet-tart tamarind curry. Later I realized that I’d made a little joke – they were kind …

Never stop playing with your food! This is one of my favorite kitchen creativity games. Take a single ingredient, and cut it as many ways as you can think of, then observe the way the cuts and textures change your perception. Then take it a step further and let those new perceptions suggest simple flavor …

Years ago I used to make a (supposedly Cuban) black bean soup that included a fair amount of orange juice. I have no idea how authentic that is; I think the recipe came from the Moosewood cookbook so it may well have been hippified. As far as I can remember, it tasted pretty good.

Arroz a la Mexicana (also known as Arroz Mexicano or Arroz Rojo) is the tomato-flavored rice that is commonly served with just about every Mexican meal in this country, and quite frequently in Mexico as well. It is also known as Spanish Rice, though I suspect that is more of a 1950s era American misnomer.

Traditional ceviche is raw or lightly cooked fish and shellfish, marinated in citrus juices. Variations of it are served throughout Latin America. Each country has its own special twists on the ingredients, sauce, or crispy accompaniments.

Obviously it isn't the same thing, but you can absolutely make a vegetarian dish that capitalizes on …

More than 20 years ago, I lived in an odd little shared house in Oakland, and one of the other renters was a guy named John, from one of the Caribbean islands. Sad to say, I can't recall which island (possibly Barbados?), but I do remember that he moonlighted in a steel drum band, and …